Keith Olbermann’s MSNBC Exit: Craig Ferguson, Bill O’Reilly Weigh In

In the wake of Keith Olbermann’s exit from MSNBC, various TV personalities have been weighing in, from a protégé to a rival cable commentator to a late night host.

“Big shakeup at MSNBC,” Bill O’ Reilly said on his Fox News show. “They’re replacing a hateful commentator.” O’Reilly refused to refer to the former MSNBC host by name. “It doesn’t matter who it is or why they took the guy out,” O’ Reilly said. “I don’t want to get involved in any of that personal stuff.” O’Reilly and Fox contributor Bernie Goldberg criticized the media for its coverage of Olbermann’s exit, saying they made the departure a bigger story than it is. “If you read about the shakeup, you would think the MSNBC people are ratings monsters,” O’ Reilly said.

Over at MSNBC, the tone was considerably different, as network host Laurence O’Donnell saluted his cable news mentor and called Olbermann’s show, “the most successful hour in MSNBC history.” O’Donnell continued: “Consider what Keith invented and taught us to do — op-ed TV. I marvel, as any writer must, at what Keith was doing — five op-eds a week…No one in television history has done anything like it.”

Craig Ferguson, host of CBS’ “Late Late Show,” milked the situation for laughs. “Olbermann had a lot of different TV jobs,” Ferguson said. “He was a sportscaster, a newscaster, a Kardashian — he’s done it all.” Ferguson said the departure was spurred by Olbermann’s style. “He’s controversial because he a lot of those things that p*** people off. What are they called, again? Opinions.”

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